Zenki
Zenki | |
鬼神童子ZENKI (Kishin Dōji Zenki) | |
---|---|
Genre | Action |
Manga | |
Written by | Kikuhide Tani |
Illustrated by | Yoshihiro Kuroiwa |
Published by | Shueisha |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Magazine | Monthly Shōnen Jump |
Original run | 1992 – 1996 |
Volumes | 12 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Junji Nishimura |
Written by | Ryōta Yamaguchi |
Studio | Studio Deen / Kitty Film |
Licensed by | |
Network | TV Tokyo |
Original run | 9 January 1995 – 25 December 1995 |
Episodes | 51 |
Original video animation | |
Kishin Dōji Zenki Gaiden: Anki Kitan | |
Directed by | Junji Nishimura |
Written by | Ryōta Yamaguchi |
Studio | Studio Deen / Tahara Produce Office |
Released | March 21, 1997 |
Runtime | 45 minutes |
Zenki (Japanese: 鬼神童子ZENKI Hepburn: Kishin Dōji Zenki, lit. "Demon Child Zenki") is a Japanese manga series written by Kikuhide Tani and illustrated by Yoshihiro Kuroiwa. It was serealized in the Shueisha publication, Monthly Shōnen Jump from 1992 to 1996. Zenki was adapted into a fifty-one episode anime television series in 1995 by Studio Deen and also spawned five video games. Enoki Films handles the English language version of the anime.
Synopsis
Ozune Enno (役 小角 Enno Ozune), Master of the Enno Temple used the demon guardian spirit Zenki to defeat the demon goddess Karuma. After defeating Karuma, he later sealed Zenki away in a pillar until needed again.
Centuries later, His descendant, a school girl named Chiaki Enno (役 小明 Enno Chiaki) (or Cherry Night in some dubs) is able to free Zenki, although the demon currently has the form of a brat demon child. To transform this extremely defiant demon into the form that made him useful by her ancestor, she uses a bracelet that appeared on her wrist when servants of Karuma broke the seal that imprisoned a seed of Karuma. Zenki appears because the seeds of Karuma (which look like eyeballs) start appearing and turning people into monsters and Zenki needed again to eradicate this menace.
Characters
- Zenki
Zenki appears to be a child who transforms into his true and powerful demon form. In the early episodes, Chiaki needed to use the bracelet to transform Zenki into his true form. In some episodes, however, Zenki's anger allows him to transform into his true self. With the help of the bracelet and Goki, another powerful demon spirit, Chiaki is able to transform Zenki into a super powerful demon spirit. The bracelet is no longer necessary when Chiaki attains her full powers in the final episode of the series. Zenki likes to eat the Karuma Seeds for they are delicious.
- Karuma
The Queen of Darkness. She wanted to dominate the earth with the Seed of Darkness. Zenki defeated her once, but she returned in a monstrous form. Zenki was able to kill her with the Golden Dragon's Axe at first and finally the Ludora.
- Anju
One of the minions of Karuma. She was originally human but Karuma brainwashed her. Karuma put the Seed of Darkness in Anju's forehead to make her a monster. When the monster Anju became stronger, Zenki had no choice but to kill her with a Ludora.
- Gulen
One of the minions of Karuma. Just as Zenki used the Golden Axe to kill him, Goula used his magic at the same time. Gulen was resurrected by Karuma so he could reveal Goula's betrayal. In the final battle between him and Zenki, Zenki finally killed Gulen.
- Goula
One of the minions of Karuma. He had planned to betray Karuma, and when Gulen revealed this, Karuma killed Goula for being a traitor.
- Hirumaki
The partner of Inugami. Hirumaki is actually a minion of Kagetora sent to spy on Inugami. When the other half of Hirumaki's body was destroyed by Inugami, Kagetora gave him a Seed of Karuma to turn him into a monster, but Zenki killed him afterwards.
- Kabura
One of the minions of Kagetora. He was almost defeated by Zenki in their battle, but Inugami arrived and killed him instead.
- Nagi
One of the minions of Kagetora. She used the Karuma Seed to turn herself into a monster. She was defeated by Zenki. Kagetora became angry at her for her loss and killed her.
- Kagetora
The King of the World of Death. He revived the Grand Lord of the World of Death, only for the Grand Lord to turn on him and kill him.
- Inugami
The son of En-gai, a prince of the World of Death. He is originally a human, but En-gai adopted him and raised him like a son. As such he never knew he had a human mother. When his mother died, En-gai used 3 Karuma Seeds to turn Inugami into a monster. When he was defeated and near dead, Inugami went to the Other World to ask his mother for help, and he came back to help Zenki defeat the Grand Lord. He then lived peacefully until the end of the series.
- Kokutei
Inugami's pet wolf. He became a Grand Lord in the final episodes. He was defeated by Zenki, Goki, Chiaki and Inugami. He turned back into a wolf at the end of the series.
- Goki
Goki is the other guardian spirit for Chiaki's shrine. His first appearance is just a bright light that shines from a little kid's body called akira. He is Zenki's younger brother of sorts and keeps the rest of Zenki's true power sealed away with a seal that takes both him and his master to break.
Manga
12 vols. Monthly shōnen jump
Reedition: 7 vols
OVA
1997. 30 minutes
Video games
- Super NES: 3 games
- Game Gear: 1 game
- PC-FX: 1 game
External links
- Zenki (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia